Sungjae Im 14th, 4 Strokes Behind: "Snake Pit Is Tough"... Bradley Leads

3-Under Start on Day 1 of Valspar Championship, Homa Tied for 2nd Aiming for 2nd Win, Johnson Stalls at Even Par

Im Sung-jae is making an iron tee shot on the 8th hole on the first day of the Valspar Championship. Palm Harbor, Florida, USA ? Photo by AFP

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] "4 strokes behind the leader."

World No. 19 Im Sung-jae (23, CJ Logistics) has resumed his march toward victory. On the 30th (Korean time), at the Innisbrook Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Florida, USA (par 71, 7,340 yards), the first day of the PGA Tour Valspar Championship (total prize money $6.9 million) saw him shoot 3 under par, placing him tied for 14th. Keegan Bradley leads at 7 under par, with Max Homa (both from the USA) and four others tied for 2nd place at 5 under par (66 strokes), starting the chase just 2 strokes behind.

Im Sung-jae recorded six birdies and three bogeys. He had a strong start with 'stepping stone birdies' on holes 2 and 4. A bogey on the 7th hole (par 4) was quickly recovered with a birdie on the 8th hole (par 3). He gained momentum with three consecutive birdies on holes 13 to 15 in the back nine. However, he was halted at Innisbrook’s most challenging stretch, the 'Snake Pit' on holes 16 to 18. The fairways are winding, and a large snake sculpture is even installed on the teeing ground of the 16th hole (par 4).

The biggest challenge at Innisbrook is the 16th to 18th holes, known as the "Snake Pit." A large snake sculpture has even been installed at the teeing ground of the 16th hole.

He managed to save par on the 16th hole (par 4), but consecutive bogeys on the 17th and 18th holes followed. The competition for the title remains very much alive. Although his iron shot green hit rate was only 61.11%, his scrambling rate?making par or better after missing the green?was an impressive 71.43%, highlighting his short game skills. It is interesting to note that Im Sung-jae finished tied for 4th in 2019. He showed resilience throughout the four days with scores of 1 under, 4 under, even par, and 1 under.

Bradley racked up seven birdies. His 'needle-like iron shots' missed the green only once, demonstrating their power. Homa has emerged as a strong favorite for the win. He is already eyeing his second victory of the season, following his February win at the Genesis Invitational. Paul Casey (England), who won back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019, is in the tied 14th group. He has been particularly strong in this tournament, having defeated Tiger Woods in 2018 and 'Number 1' Dustin Johnson (both USA) in 2019. Last year’s event was canceled due to COVID-19, and this year he is aiming for a 'three-peat.'

The showdown between Johnson and 'Number 2' Justin Thomas (USA) currently favors Thomas, who is tied for 28th at 2 under par (69 strokes). Johnson exchanged three birdies for three bogeys and remained tied for 66th at even par (71 strokes). Despite hitting a long drive of up to 332 yards, he struggled due to inconsistent iron shots. From Korea, Lee Kyoung-hoon (30) joined the tied 28th place, Ahn Byung-hoon (30) is tied for 45th at 1 under par (70 strokes), and 'Tank' Choi Kyung-ju (51, SK Telecom) and Kang Sung-hoon (34) are tied for 66th place.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.